Baby Proteas claim historic semifinal spot at 2025 Youth World Cup

This after South Africa beat the Cook Islands 79–45 on Thursday evening to book a place in the last four for the very first time.

Speaking at the post match presser, Mthembu says their winning streak at the Youth World Cup reflects the team’s hard work on and off the court.

"I am incredibly proud of the girls, I'm actually getting tears, you know from making history to secure a very first quarterfinal victory against Cook Island, it is unbelievable. This win is just a testimonial of the girls' hard work, they're disciplined, they believe in each other,” Mthembu said.

“Each and every single player has really shown everything that they needed to show through this whole journey. The girls really followed the game plan from the go."

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Next stop for the Baby Proteas is against four-time world champions and current silver medallists Australia on Friday evening. 

Mthembu says they are aware of the quality of the opponents, however they remain confident in the team’s capacity to thrive above the pressure.

"We need to shift our performance to the next level, preparing, we'll  start tonight with the girls' recovery, ensuring that their mental and physical state are ready to go. I have a great medical team, they will take care of them,” the coach added. 

“We respect the quality of our opponents but we're really confident in our system and we just wanna thank everyone at home for supporting the girls. This team has really shown that we play with heart and discipline, we really can compete with the world's best.